Bulk bags



April 10, 1962 W. H. GOODING BULK BAGS Filed. Nov. 27, 1959 FIG. 1.

INVENTOR. M/ILLAED H. GOOD/N6 %/2&lk

A rro/ewev invention;

trite States atent 3,028,895 BULK BAGS Willard H. Gooding, Los Angeles,Calif., assignor to Western Velo & Cement Specialties Company, LosAngeles, Califi, a corporation of California Filed Nov. 27, 1959, Ser.No. 855,580 Claims. (Cl. 150-1) This invention pertains to new andimproved bags for handling comparatively large quantities of materials.Such bags are commonly referred to as bulk bags.

The cost of supplying cement, sand and other various products andmaterials to customers is very important commercially. Comparativelylarge quantities of such goods are still frequently supplied tocustomers in relatively small packages, such as sacks'or fiberboarddrums holding up to about 100 lbs. of material. Such containers are usedsince they can be readily handled. Such containers, however, aredisadvantageous ,inasmuchas they are relatively costly per pound ofmaterial carried in them, and inasmuch as it is very seldom practical toreuse them because of cost considerations.

In order to cut down the cost of supplying materials to customers alarge number of firms have developed specialized equipment, such astrucks, railroad cars or the like which are designed or intended to beused in handling and supplying only one type of commodity. Suchspecialized equipment frequently can be used economically only withlarger quantities of material than many customers normally desire. Also,such specialized equipment of this type is disadvantageous inasmuch asit represents a comparatively substantial capital investment.

In order to lessen the cost of supplying comparatively large quantitiesof material to customers, attempts have been made to providelarge'reusable sacks for use in shipping such materials. It isconsidered that these prior efforts, while of a commercial category,have not been as acceptable and successful as could be desired for anumber of reasons.

Prior sacks for handling large quantities of material frequently havetended to be comparatively difficult to utilize. Often they have notprovided adequate protection against environmental influences for thematerials shipped within them. Further, these prior sacks for shippingmaterials in bulk have frequently not been constructed in such a manneras to Withstand wear and normal abrasion encountered during their use.Not infrequently with them there has been a material danger of spillage.Often the weight and volume of these prior bulk sacks in being returnedto an initial point of origin for reuse has been a substantial problem.

An object of the present invention is to provide new and improved bulkbags. More specifically an object of this invention is to provide bulkbags which possess various desired characteristics as indicated in thepreceding paragraph which characteristics are not considered to havebeen combined into a single bag of the type to which this inventionpertains prior to this invention. A still further object of thisinvention is to provide bulk bags as indicated which can be easilyconstructed at a comparatively nominal cost and which are desirable inthat they possess various characteristics or qualities indicated in thepreceding paragraph.

These and further objects of this invention as well as many specificadvantages of it will be fully apparent from a detailed consideration ofthe remainder of this specification, including the appended claims andthe accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a bulk bag of this FIG. 2 is a topplan view of the bag shown in FIG. l;

Patented Apr. 10, 1962 FIG. 4 is an exploded sectional view illustratingthe construction of the bag shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of this bag in use;

FIG. 6 is a partial bottom plan View taken in the directionof the arrow6 in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 3 of a modified bulkbag of this invention.

The accompanying drawing is primarily intended so as to clearlyillustrate several presently preferred embodiments or forms of thisinvention. Those skilled in the art to which this invention pertainswill realize that differently appearing bulk bags utilizing theessential features of this invention described in this specification andset forth in the appended claims may be designed through the use ofroutine engineering skill on the basis include a continuous ring, atubular closure, a tubular sack and a clamping member which secures endsof the closure and of the sack with respect to the continuous ring so asto form a complete bag capable of being used in transporting anddischarging comparatively large quantities of material such as, forexample, 1,000 to 2,000 lbs.

of granular material. Although the bags of the present invention can beused with a wide variety of different materials they are primarilyintended for use in transporting cement, sand, gravel or the like.

The actual details of this invention are best more fully described byreferring to the accompanying drawing in which there is shown a bulk bag10 of the present invention. The bag 10 includes a top ring 12, atubular closure 14 and a tubular sack 16 of larger dimension than theclosure 14. Preferably the ring 12 is of a continuous nature and isformed out of common angle iron or the like so as to have walls 18located at an angle to each other. These walls 18 form or define anexternal, continuous channel 20 facing outwardly from the center of thering 12. To the upper one of the walls 18 it is pre ferred to attach inany convenient manner, such as by welding, diametrically opposed,perforate lugs 22 which may be used in supporting the entire bag 10. Asindicated in FIGS. 2 and 4 these lugs 22 extend generally from the topof the ring 12 and are located between the inner and outer edges of thisring.

Both the closure 14 and the sack 16 may be formed out of any suitableconvenient, flexible material. Preferably these parts are formed out ofa heavy grade of fabric which has been coated with a natural orsynthetic rubber or the like. When formed of such materials both theclosure 14 and the sack 16 are comparatively strong in a physical sense.Further, they are water tight so as to provide adequate protection forany material located within the bag 10 from environmental influences,such as rain, and are of such a flexible character as to permit movementand deformation as required during the use of the bag 10 as hereinafterdescribed.

Preferably the closure .14 is formed so as to have a uniform diameterthroughout its length. Further, it is preferably formed so that an end24 of it is composed of material doubled back along the exterior of theclosure 14 as indicated in FIG. 4 and is bent to a generally U- shape asindicated in this same figure. The closure 14 is located so as to passthrough the ring 12 so that the end '24 extends around the ring 12 andfits within the channel 20. Preferably with the present invention theend 26 of the sack is alsofolded back on its exterior as indicated 3 inFIG. 4 and is folded slightly and located generally on top of part ofthe end 24 within the channel 20 as shown in FIG. 3 of the drawing.

When this is done both the closure 14 and the sack 16 may be easily andconveniently secured in place by tightening a split ring 23 used forclamping purposes within the channel 20 as shown. In the embodiment ofthe invention illustrated this ring 28 has flanged ends 30 which arepulled together through the use of a common bolt 32. Other equivalentstructures for this purpose may be used. It is preferred to form thesplit ring 28 of angle iron or the like so as to have a shapecorresponding to the shape of the ring 12. When this is done, the ring28 has walls 34 which are parallel to the walls 18. Thus, the internalconfiguration of the ring 28 corresponds to the internal configurationof the ring 12.

As a consequence of this when the ring 28 is tightened in place theportions of the closure 14 and the sack 16 secured by it are subjectedto substantially uniform pressure completely around the ring 12. Suchuniform pressure prevents undesired minor amounts of shifting of theclosure 14 and the sack 16 in use. This is desirable since even acomparatively small amount of such shifting will tend to cause abnormalwear on both the closure 14 and the sack 16.

Wear of these two parts is also effectively minimized because of theoverlapped ends 24 and 26 which present a double layer of material incontact with the ring 12 or the ring 28. With the assembly shown thesack 16 and the closure 14 proper are not in contact with the ring 12and the ring 28, respectively. Only the overlapped or exterior terminalportions of the sack 16 and the closure 14 are thus exposed to wear orabrasion by these metal members. Hence, in the event the rings 12 or 23wear through the material adjacent to them the sack 16 and the closure14 are riot alfected.

Preferably the sack 16 includes a top section 36 of a uniform diameterextending from the ring 12 and a tapered bottom section 38 leading to abottom opening 40. This bottom section 38 is designed so that it may beused essentially as a discharge spout or the like during emptying of thematerial from the complete bag 10. It is also designed so as to providea comparatively small opening 40 which must be easily and etfectivelyclosed during the use of the bag 10.

The bottom opening 40 is preferably secured so as to be closed asindicated in FIG. 6 of the drawing by the section 38 being pushed so asto assume a fiat configuration and then by being folded along its lengthin a manner resembling common pleats, each of such pleats having adouble wall thickness because of the initial configuration of the bottomsection 38 at the start of the operation closing this bottom opening 40.At this point a common rope 42 or cable or the like may be passed aroundthe bottom section 38 so as to be adjacent to but spaced from the bottomopening 40 and manipulated in a conventional manner so as to tie thisbottom opening closed.

Preferably the end 44 of the bottom section 38 defining the opening 49is turned or folded back on itself as indicated in FIG. 4 and is securedin this position so as to provide a comparatively small ridgeimmediately below where the rope 42 is attached. This ridge aids in preventing this rope 42 from moving ofi of the sack 16 during the use ofthe bag 10.

When the bottom opening 40 of the bag 10 has been secured in this mannerthe sack 16 may be conveniently filled with material, such as thematerial 46 indicated in FIG. of the drawing. During such a fillingoperation preferably the closure 14 is held so as to extend as indicatedin FIG. 1 of the drawing. In this configuration this closure 14 actsessentially as an inlet chute for the entire bag 16 and aids inpreventing dust loss or the like. During the filling operation the bagis, of course, supported by the lugs 22. .After the sack16has beenfilled with material such as the material 46 it may be convenientlyclosed by twisting the closure 14, so as to form a knot or twist asindicated in FIG. 5 within the ring 12. This knot or twist 48 may betied in place through the use of a rope St) or the equivalent so as toform a substantially water tight joint. When the closure 14 is securedin this manner it defines a substantially waterproof diaphragm locatedwithin the ring 12 in an unexposed position sealing the top of this ring12 so as to adequately protect the material 46 from environmentalinfiuences.

When the bag 10 has been filled with material as indicated in FIG. Sitmay be conveniently shipped by virtually any means of transportationfrom one location to another. When it reaches its desired destination itis preferably supported through the use of the lugs 22 above. a bin orthe like which is to receive the material 46.- At this point the rope 42may be untied and the bottom section 38 directed so as to serve as adischarge chute to discharge this material 46 into such a receptacle.

After the bag 10 has been emptied in this manner it may be easilycollapsed and. folded up into a comparatively small, light weightpackage which can be easily and conveniently returned to a source ofsupply for reuse. It may also be washed out and may be used to shipanother product than the product it initially contained instead of beingreturned directly to its point of origin.

In FIG. 7 of the drawing there is shown a modified bag 52 of the presentinvention which is essentially similar to the bag 10. For convenience ofdescription those parts of the bag 52 which are identical orsubstantially identical to corresponding parts of the bag 10 are notseparately described herein and are designated both in this descriptionand in the drawing by the primes of the numerals previously employed todesignate such parts.

The bag 52 differs from the bag 10 in that the material in the ends 24and 26' of the closure 14' and the sack 16 extend around continuous ropeor cable loops 54 having substantially the external diameter of the ring28. These loops 54 are located immediately above the ring 28' so as notto be held against the ring 12. These loops 54 act as enlargements uponthe closure 14 and sack 16' which are of such a size that they cannotslip through the space between the ring 28' and the ring 12'. Thus, withthis construction indicated in FIG. 7 there is no danger of the closure14' and the sack 16 pulling out of place during use, regardless of thestresses and strains placed upon these members.

Those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains will realizethat bulk bags as herein described are very etficient and desirable forthe purpose of handling comparatively large quantities of materials.They will further realize that bulk bags as herein described may bespeedily and easily used without danger of the material within thembeing damaged by environmental influences and without danger of suchmaterial being lost through spillage. They will further realize thatbulk bags as herein described may be constructed at a comparativelynominal cost and that these bags will wear for a prolonged period inuse. Because of the nature of this invention it is to be considered asbeing limited only by the appended claims forming a part of thisdisclosure.

I claim:

1. A bag for use in transporting material which comprises: a continuousring, said ring having a continuous channel extending around theexterior thereof; a tubular closure, one end of said closure extendingthrough said ring, around one end of said ring, and being located withinsaid channel; a tubular sack, one end of said sack being located withinsaid channel, said sack extending from the side of said ring remote fromsaid closure and having a bottom opening located remote from said ring;a clamping ring located within said channel, said clamping ring bearingagainst said ends of said closure and said sack located within saidchannel so as to hold said closure and said sack with respect to saidcontinuous ring; and means for supporting said continuous ring attachedto said continuous ring so as to extend away from said sack.

2. A bag as defined in claim 1 wherein said channel has V-shapedcross-sectional configuration and wherein said clamping ring has acorresponding cross-sectional configuration, and wherein said clampingring, exerts uniform pressure on said ends of said closure and said sackso as to securely hold said closure and said sack within said channel.

3. A bag as defined in claim 1 wherein said closure and said shack areboth formed of a flexible, waterproof material.

4. A bag as defined in claim 1 wherein said sack is provided with atapered section terminating in said bottom, said tapered section beingcapable of being used as a discharge chute.

5. A bag for use in transporting material which comprises: a continuousring, said ring having a continuous channel extending around theexterior thereof; a tubular closure, one end of said closure extendingthrough said ring, around one end of said ring, and being located withinsaid channel; a tubular sack, one end of said sack being located withinsaid channel, said sack extending from the side of said ring remote fromsaid closure and having a bottom opening located remote from said ring;a clamping member located within said channel, said clamping memberbearing against said ends of said closure and said sack located withinsaid channel so as to hold said closure and said sack with respect tosaid continuone ring; and means for supporting said continuous ringattached to said continuous ring so as to extend away from said sack.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS665,942 Tabler Jan. 15, 1901 1,082,863 Geschickter Dec. 30, 19131,738,470 Williams Dec. 3, 1929 2,314,639 West et a1. Mar. 23, 19432,338,504 Foster Jan. 4, 1944 2,865,419 Cunningham Dec. 23, 19582,894,666 Campbell July 14, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 281,680 Germany Jan.20, 1915

